Symptom Management Program Reduces Vasomotor Symptoms and Improves Sleep Quality in Postmenopausal Women

Strategic Insights -

Research conducted at Ondokuz Mayis University in Turkey has found that a symptom management program developed based on story theory can significantly reduce vasomotor symptoms and improve sleep quality among postmenopausal women. The study, which involved 76 women aged 45-65, used a mixed-methods approach to examine the effectiveness of the program in reducing symptoms and improving quality of life. The results showed that the program, which was applied individually to women in the experimental group, was effective in reducing vasomotor symptoms and improving sleep quality compared to the control group.

Key Takeaways:

  • The symptom management program developed based on story theory was applied to 38 postmenopausal women in the experimental group, while 38 women in the control group received standard care.
  • The program consisted of a personal information form, the Menopause Symptoms Assessment Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and a story theory-based semistructured interview form.
  • The independent 2-sample t test, Mann-Whitney U test, generalized linear model, Tukey test, and Robust ANOVA test were used for the analysis of quantitative data, while content analysis was applied to qualitative data.
  • The study identified six themes related to menopause, including thoughts about menopause, symptoms experienced during menopause, perception of femininity in menopause, the effect of menopause on daily life, coping with menopause, and expectations in menopause.
  • The program was found to reduce vasomotor symptoms and improve sleep quality among postmenopausal women, with significant differences observed in the Menopause Symptoms Assessment Scale total and subdimension scores and the total Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score between the experimental and control groups.
  • The study was conducted as a mixed methods study using an interventional design and involved a total of 75 postmenopausal women.

Statistics:

  • 76 women were enrolled in the study, with 38 in the experimental group and 38 in the control group.
  • The symptom management program was applied to 38 postmenopausal women in the experimental group, while 38 women in the control group received standard care.
  • The Menopause Symptoms Assessment Scale total and subdimension scores were lower in the experimental group than in the control group at the end of the program, indicating a significant reduction in vasomotor symptoms.
  • The total Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score was also lower in the experimental group than in the control group, indicating an improvement in sleep quality.

Sources:

  • The effect of a symptom management program developed based on story theory on vasomotor symptoms and sleep quality in postmenopausal women: a mixed methods study. Menopause, 2025.
  • NewsRx. Reports Summarize Menopause Study Results from Ondokuz Mayis University (The effect of a symptom management program developed based on story theory on vasomotor symptoms and sleep quality in postmenopausal women: a mixed methods study). OBGYN & Reproduction Week. October 20, 2025; p 740.